Our reviewer Miranda Owen had a chance to chat with L.P. Maxa. Listen in as
we
find out some of the behind the scenes scoop on the three series.
In HEART STOPPING
Baze and Pen are star-crossed lovers given another chance to make things
right.
Is this a favorite trope for you? Was it hard deciding how much of their
past to
reveal in the form of "flashbacks"? Who are some of your favorite fictional
couples – ones you've written as well as others from either books or films?
Second chance romance is actually not one of my favorites. I don't typically
read a lot of novels with that topic, for some reason I tend to veer away
from
those. I think with Baze, his history kind of unfolded for me somewhere
along
the way. I certainly didn't plan a star-crossed lovers HEA for him from day
one.
My publisher will attest to the fact that I'm more of a fly by the seat of
my
pants type of writer. It wasn't until Linc's book that I finally decided to
bring in Pen the way I did.
As far as how much of their past to reveal or not, I wanted to try and make
readers understand his love for Pen from the beginning. They'd already spent
so
much time apart, I didn't want to have to work too long on rebuilding their
connection. I wanted people to see that their love never died, it was too
strong
for that. I don't like the will they/won't they part of books. I want to get
to
the good stuff 😊
Some of my all time favorite fictional characters…let's see. I love all the
couples from the Eagle Elite series by Rachel Van Dyken, that is hands down
one
of my favorites. I enjoy a jerk who falls hard on his ass for his girl. I
enjoyed writing Luke's story in the Devil's Share series,
I
feel like he was so over love because of what happened between him and Lexi.
But
then Lo comes in and BAM, he has no choice but to fall for her. I love Tim
Riggins and Daryl Dixon and Jax Teller. But those are like crushes, I have
crushes on those characters. Oh and Stiles from Teen Wolf, he's not broody
like
the others, but he's funny and funny is always good.
The villain in HEART
STOPPING is one that has been tormenting the main characters throughout
the
series. Are you happy with the interplay between the villain and the good
guys,
and the direction their story has taken? Who are some of your favorite
villains
– in books or films?
I do like the way the Franklin battle played out. I love that he
underestimated
the good guys, which in my opinion is something you should never do. I also
really enjoyed writing the end of Franklin, the scene between Jace and his
twin.
I think Jasper spends a lot of time being a funny little brat, but we got to
see
that there is real depth to him. And we got to witness the love those two
brothers have for each other. At first, I worried that I was putting too
much on
the younger shifters, but when all was said and done I was happy with it.
Their
stories are coming next, so I feel like it was right to put them in the
spotlight. And ultimately, Franklin was Jace's battle to fight, he was his
demon.
I like when characters band together to defeat the bad stuff. I hate when
the
bad tears people apart. I have literally skipped through movies and books
when I
know that the characters are going to be torn apart for a while. Its
terrible,
but its true. As far as movie villains? I love Boondock Saints, its full of
vigilante justice and one of my favorite movies of all time. My daughter has
watched the Descendants 10 times this week and I like how those kids are
fighting themselves, the internal battle. That song the little prince guy
sings
on the field? I could do without though. It literally won't leave my head.
Having read your other contemporary romance, I was surprised but
delighted by
the different and slightly darker tone you take in this paranormal series.
Is it
difficult balancing the intensity and sense of danger with the lighter
moments
in this series? How would you describe this series to readers who might be
new
to it?
I have a lot of fun adding light to the darkness. I make sure to always
write
those one or two characters that don't mind making jokes while they're
looking
into the face of failure of despair. And the way I write them, those oddly
placed sarcastic comments just seem right, you know? Like of course Linc is
going to give Baze a hard time while he's losing his mind in front of
everyone.
It's true to character, so it doesn't come across as out of place. At least
in
my opinion. But it's not always easy. I've had readers who don't love the
darker
themes in the RiffRaff series because they miss the lighter side of the Devil's Share. Every
book
isn't going to be for every reader. There are lots of books I sample and
then
don't read. Not because they aren't wonderfully written, but because they
just
don't fit my mood at the time.
I always tell people that the St. Leasing series is
shifter light. It's a series about shifters, but being shifters isn't what
necessarily drives their every interaction. It's about finding your own
family,
building your own pack. It's about love; the soul deep, no matter what kind.
And
it's funny. I mean, I think I'm funny.
I love reading about doppelgangers and twins. In your Riffraff Records
contemporary romance series you write about twins Cash and Crue Matthews in
LOYALTY. In your new St. Leasing book you
write
about werewolf twins Jace and Jasper. What's so intriguing about twins that
inspires you to write about them?
Honestly? I have no idea. Jace and Jasper were the first twins I wrote. And
with
them, I needed them to be twins to make readers understand their vast
differences. Does that make sense? Anyone who has read MOUTH WATERING gets
where
I'm coming from. The pack needed to assume they were the same, the readers
needed to assume that as well. That assumption is what makes the discovery
of
Franklin and how he plays into the story that much more dramatic.
I do enjoy reading stories with twins in them. What's better than a hot guy?
Two
hot guys. 😊 As far as Crue and Cash, I just thought it would be fun
to give
Luke twins boys. If you'll recall in the Devil's Share series, Lexi says
that
everyone will have girls because they deserve the punishment for being such
players. But then she says, everyone except Luke because he's a good guy. So
I
gave Luke all the boys, and his first born? Twin boys. Almost like an inside
joke.
What are you currently working on? As a fangirl I have to ask about two
of my
favorite supporting characters – will you write stories in the future for
Jace
(St.Leasing) or
Talon
(RiffRaff Records)?
Jace seems like a wonderfully complex and super intelligent guy who would
probably just get better with age, and Talon seems to strike the right
balance
between sweet, sexy, and enigmatic.
So first up, I have Maykin and Bleu. They'll be part of an anthology for
charity
I'm doing with my publisher in the fall. It'll be a sexy flirty funny little
road to HEA for those two, who were supporting characters in SANCTUARY {Nick and
Evie's
story} And then, it's JETT! I'm so pumped for Jett. He has all of Crue's
swagger
and Cash's charm. He's going to be a deadly combination. Jace, I think, will
be
the next St.
Leasing
book. I fell a little bit in love with that boy while writing HEART STOPPING and I'm
not
ready to let him go yet. Talon will play more of a staring role in the
future…And that's all I'm going to say because anything else would give away
what's to come 😊
I love my supporting characters too, I really do. If I could give them all
their
own HEAs I would gladly do it. There isn't enough time in the world for me
to
accomplish that. I have enough problems getting the main characters turned
in.
But like with Bleu and Maykin, and then Talon coming up, I try to let their
stories get told along the way. I don't want to leave them out in the dark
either. I want all my people to end up happy.
wife/mom/writer/aspiring farmer
L.P. Maxa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, daughter, 3 rescue dogs,
1
stray cat, and 1 fish that keeps dying and she keeps replacing so her
toddler
doesn't notice. She loves reading romance novels as much as she loves
writing
them. L.P. is new to the writing game, but she has published 4 books in her
first year alone. She says that inspiration can come from anywhere; a song
lyric, a quote, a weekend with friends. The tiniest things spark amazing
stories.
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